Author: Deacon Joel and Lisa Schmidt

Love is our Mission: Families Fully Alive

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Since we aren’t able to travel to Philadelphia and see Pope Francis at the World Meeting of Families, we figured heading back to Joel’s old stomping grounds in Wisconsin is the next best thing. Right?! We are presenting at the Love is our Mission: Families Fully Alive gathering in Central Wisconsin this weekend. Kudos to the organizers who have … [Read more…]

Speaking Event This Saturday in Ames, Iowa

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Joel and I are looking forward to speaking at this year’s Pure Fashion Show on Saturday evening at the Gateway Hotel Conference Center in Ames, Iowa. What’s better is Jonny Diaz is taking a break from his national concert tour to perform at the show. His name may not be familiar, but I bet you’ve heard his … [Read more…]

What Makes a Family Holy?

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Not even ten minutes pass after Mass, and you find yourself sitting in the parish hall breaking up an argument between the kids who are fighting over a donut. So much for that peace we offered one another during Mass. Ah, peace. We want peace in our homes; we want to be holy families. But … [Read more…]

Why Rest On Thanksgiving If Not Every Sunday?

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Maybe you’ve seen the following image floating about social media lately? We agree. And we get it. We both have siblings who work in retail, and we understand the conflict that occasionally arises when choosing between providing for and celebrating with your family. And while we appreciate the push for a Thanksgiving Day fast from consumerism, it seems like … [Read more…]

Couples Night Out Event

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Are you: married, with kids still at home, live near eastern Iowa, AND want to enjoy a date night with your spouse? If so, please consider attending the Couples Night Out event on Saturday, October 18 at St. Mary Catholic Church in Solon, Iowa. More information and registration found here. This was the Couples’ Night Out … [Read more…]

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Healing Retreat

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Friends, the Pregnancy and Infant Loss Ministry resources for our diocese continue to expand. We are grateful to announce yet another opportunity for couples who have experienced any type of pregnancy or infant loss. A healing retreat for couples will be held in Des Moines on Saturday, October 4 @ St. Pius X Catholic Church … [Read more…]

Abundant Living: Couples Living the Gift of Natural Family Planning

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This is Natural Family Planning (NFP) Awareness week. In its honor, we are rounding up posts previously published here over the last five years and highlighting one each day.

Buckle Up! Riding the Marriage Roller Coaster

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Marriage is a lot like a roller coaster, fun and exhilarating, but also full of twists and turns, loops and corkscrews. So how does a marriage survive while routinely being thrown off track?

What’s one thing you can do to strengthen your marriage this summer, to lower the lap bar and fasten the seat belt so to speak? We share a few ideas; what are yours?

What Every Catholic Marriage Prep Program Ought to Include

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How would you answer this question … Outline a marriage preparation program for your parish. Explain what components you would like to include and why. Joel had to answer this very question for his sacramental theology course, and we thought it made good blog post material, too. It’s the topic of our latest column at Catholic … [Read more…]